San Sosti
A village among the Calabrian hills
San Sosti is a municipality located in the province of Cosenza, in Calabria, with a population of about 1930 people. The town is built on the top and slopes of a hilly area, which is the natural extension of the southwest slope of the Pollino mountain range. The municipal territory is crossed by the waters of two rivers: the Esaro and the Rosa, which have influenced the development of the town with a strong agricultural vocation.
A millenary history
San Sosti has a millenary history, starting from the Bronze Age up to the Roman era. In the territory, traces of a late Bronze Age settlement and early Iron Age have been discovered. Moreover, in the Rocca castle and in the Carmine church, objects belonging to the Greek-archaic sanctuaries dating back to the 6th century BC have been found. Some materials are related to the cities of Sibari and Thuri. There are no attestations from the Lucanian era, but for the Roman era, the Roman Villas of Cerreto and Ministalla are known.
The Rocca castle and the Basilian monastery
In the 10th-11th centuries, the Rocca castle was built, later abandoned between the 13th and 14th centuries. The fortified settlement of Casalini, from the Byzantine Empire era, was supposed to be autonomous and belonging to a different territory, whose border was perhaps marked by the Rosa stream. The Basilian monastery of San Sozonte belongs to the same period as the Rocca, from the Greek name of the titular saint derives the name of the town.
Symbols of the municipality
The municipality of San Sosti has a coat of arms and a banner. The coat of arms represents the Rocca castle and the stylized waves of the Esaro and Rosa rivers. The banner of San Sosti consists of a white cloth.
In general, San Sosti is a small town but rich in history. The mountain slopes, rivers and surrounding nature make it an interesting and very suggestive place. If you're thinking of visiting Calabria, don't forget to include a visit to San Sosti, where you can discover its millenary history and immerse yourself in the modern culture of the town.
